Teen hospitalized after being shot by police near West High School (+video)

Wichita police shot a teenager who they say was armed and attempting to flee into West High on Friday night.

The teen, a 17-year-old male, was taken to Via Christi Hospital St. Francis in critical condition, according to a Sedgwick County emergency dispatcher. The shooting happened shortly after 6:30 p.m. Friday, according to the dispatcher.

The West and Northwest girls’ basketball teams were playing inside the gym at the time. The school was put on lockdown, which was later lifted. The boys’ basketball game later Friday evening was still scheduled to be played.

Deputy Chief Hassan Ramzah gave this account:

Police tried to stop a burgundy pickup as it was pulling into the West High parking lot. Officials had a report that its occupants might be linked to a double homicide Tuesday near Ninth and Grove.

There were four people inside the truck. One got out of the truck with a handgun, according to police, and started running toward the south doors of the school.

Police issued verbal warnings for him to stop, which he ignored. As he was getting to the door, multiple shots were fired by an officer at the scene.

Neither Ramzah nor the Sedgwick County emergency dispatcher could confirm where the boy was shot, or how many times.

Police took the other three occupants of the truck, all males, into custody. At this time, police don’t think they are linked to Tuesday’s homicides.

“We don’t believe at this point in time these individuals are the suspects that we are looking for,” Ramzah said. “We’ll still have to continue with follow-up, to see if there was some involvement. It’s pretty early at this point in time but we hope to find out a little bit more as we continue with the investigation.”

Police said Wednesday they were looking for “three specific individuals” who had been identified as suspects in the double homicide.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation was called to investigate the shooting, and the officers involved also were being interviewed, Ramzah said.

No police officers were injured.

Neighbors who live a few houses to the west of the school reported hearing as many as four gunshots.

Ramzah said police do not know why the teen ran from police, and they also do not know if he had interacted with the officers before being shot.

The doors to the school were unlocked because of the ongoing basketball game, Ramzah said.

“Just on the other side of the doors … we had students and obviously participants that were here this evening for that basketball game,” he said. “We wanted to make sure we ensure the safety of everyone here.”

The department is working with USD 259, since the shooting happened on school grounds.

Susan Arensman, a spokeswoman for the district, said she could not confirm whether the teen was a student in USD 259.

The school was locked down for about 20 to 30 minutes, Arensman said.

After the lockdown was lifted, people coming for the games entered via another door, which was manned by security and police, Arensman said.

“Obviously this is a police matter and we’ll work with police as they continue their investigation,” she said.

Police are expected to release more information about the shooting at a Monday media briefing.

This story was originally published December 4, 2015 at 7:42 PM with the headline "Teen hospitalized after being shot by police near West High School (+video)."